The mission of the Craven Arts Council & Gallery is to create an environment where the arts thrive, bring joy, and enrich the cultural experience in our community.
Founded in 1974 as a volunteer organization to promote countywide cultural initiatives, the Craven Community Arts Council merged in the 1980s with the New Bern Art Gallery to become the Craven Arts Council & Gallery. Located in a former bank building donated by First Citizens Bank, the building is known as The Bank of the Arts. Programs of exhibitions and concerts in the gallery and in the community are provided in partnership with other organizations, including Tryon Palace, Craven County Schools, Havelock Cultural Arts Committee, Twin Rivers Artists' Association and other arts groups are major components of programming.
Craven Arts Council & Gallery serves as a cultural resource for the community and
school system. The Council continues to offer a variety of artistic expressions to
the community and the schools in the form of classes, exhibitions and concerts or
regional and national artists. The Bank of the Arts also serves as a ticket sales
center for other arts agencies' cultural events. Countywide programming includes
sub-
2010-
Georgia Johnson
Mitch Lewis
Nelson McDaniel
James W. Norment
Daynette Orr
Kim Smith
Amy Wang
Susan Ward
Michaelé Rose Watson
Marshall Williams
Staff:
Carol Tokarski, Executive Director
Michele Cole, Program Coordinator
Penny Beesley, Gallery Shop Manager
Mimi Sforza, Volunteer Coordinator
Becky Badger
Carol Becton
Jim Bisbee
Sandy Bruno
Jeb Collier
Rose Danella
Rich Daniels
Philip Evancho
Judy Farsaie
David Foley
Judy Avery, President
Linda Mattocks, Vice President
Madeleine Smith, Secretary
Barbara Brown, Treasurer